This invention relates to building systems which largely replace the upright uses of concrete, whether ready-mix concrete or pre-fabricated concrete blocks, or other pre-fabricated concrete products, in construction projects. In general, the invention relates to enclosed buildings as well as other structures, and replaces the concrete in below-grade frost walls and foundation walls, and in above-grade walls. Such concrete structures are replaced, in the invention, with structures based on fiber-reinforced polymer materials (FRP) and the bottoms of such FRP walls may be integrated with a concrete footer/floor.
Certain improvements in building construction, including building panels, walls, buildings and appurtenances, methods of making building panels, and methods of constructing walls, wall systems, and buildings are taught in co-pending applications of common assignment as follows:
Ser. No. 11/901,174, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 11/901,057, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 11/900,987, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 11/900,998, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 11/901,059, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 11/901,173, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 11/901,175, filed Sep. 13, 2007;
Ser. No. 12/317,164, filed Dec. 18, 2008;
Ser. No. 61/571,290 filed Jun. 23, 2011;
Ser. No. 61/573,799 filed Sep. 12, 2011;
all of the above being incorporated herein by reference, in their entireties.
There is a need, in the construction industry, for additional improvements in light weight structural building panels and building systems incorporating such building panels. For example, generally continuous building panels of any desired length up to a maximum length per panel, may be selectable in length, in height, and in thickness, whereby such structural building panels may be used in applications where concrete is conventionally used in residential, commercial, and industrial construction. Such structural building panels should be strong enough to bear the primary compressive loads and lateral loads which are imposed on the underlying walls in a building enclosure or other building structure.
In light of severe wind conditions, which occur periodically in some locales, there is a need for building systems where overlying building structure is securely anchored to an underlying wall structure such as a foundation, whereby attachments between the underlying foundation and the overlying structure assist in preventing separation of the overlying structure from the foundation under severe wind conditions, and where the foundation wall is securely and automatically anchored to the footer by the process of creating the footer.
There is also a need for walls which are generally impermeable to water, including at joints in the wall.
These and other needs are alleviated, or at least attenuated, by the novel construction products, and methods, and building systems of the invention.